


Halloween 2019: Someone You Loved

by skylark3



Series: Hexanna New Life [4]
Category: Holby City
Genre: F/M, Flac, Hexanna, Holby Halloween Monster Mash 2019, Kidnapping, New Life fic: 13 years later, Thriller, berena - Freeform, family life, mental health
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-01-13 12:17:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21243956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skylark3/pseuds/skylark3
Summary: This is set 13 years after my New Life fic.Henrik & Roxanna are now in their early sixties and their daughter Heidi Hanssen is 13 years old.  Family life and work life is hectic and Henrik worries that their daughter is growing up all too quickly. But on the whole, the Hanssen family are happy.However, on a dark and wet Halloween night their happiness is threatened when an unwelcome visitor from their past returns to Holby intent on reaping revenge.Will their lives ever be the same again or is Henrik Hanssen destined to lose everyone he has ever loved?





	1. Chapter 1

It had been a long and tiresome day and Henrik Hanssen was looking forward to being at home with his family. As he climbed the steps to his front door he smiled to himself, taking in the array of pumpkins that were lighting his path, two on either side of each step, each with its own unique design. There were the usual scary faces and witches silhouettes but others were much more detailed; intricate floral designs, nocturnal animals and even one carefully carved to resemble the human brain. Roxanna's efforts were obvious but his 13 year old daughter's efforts weren't that bad either.

As Henrik stepped over the threshold into the welcoming warmth of the house he shouted out, "I'm home," as he closed the door behind him with a satisfying thud. Angel, their black Portuguese Water Dog bounded through from the kitchen to greet him, jumping up Henrik’s legs and barking with excitement. “Hello girl,” Henrik said as he bent down to greet the dog, stroking her behind the ears, just where she liked it best.   
  
"I'm in here," came a voice from the kitchen; it was Roxanna. Henrik glanced up the stairs from where the boom, boom, boom of pop music was coming from; a clear indication of his daughter’s whereabouts and yet another sign that his little girl was growing up much too quickly. Gone were the days when Heidi would be running as fast as Angel to greet him at the door on his return from work; gone where the days when she would leap into his arms, eager to tell him all about her day, Roxanna lingering in the background patiently waiting to welcome her husband home with romantic kisses. Now it was only the dog who was excited to see him.  
  
He removed his coat and hung it on the coat pegs but as he went to walk away he tripped over the bright pink patent Doc Marten boots strewn across the floor in front of him. "What the.....?" He gasped as he grabbed hold of the stair banister to save himself from hitting the floor. "Heidi!" He bellowed up the stairs, "for goodness sake, put your boots away!" He received no response and sighed to himself as he picked the boots up and placed them on the rack where they should have been in the first place. Shaking his head and muttering to himself he made his way through to the kitchen, Angel dutifully following behind.  
  
Roxanna was sat at the kitchen table, her spectacles on and her head buried in her laptop. "Hi," she said without looking up. He assumed she was working on her research; she was spending all her time on it these days.

“I’ve just nearly broken my neck on Heidi’s boots which were just abandoned in the middle of the hallway," he complained. "We really need to be a bit tighter on getting her to tidy up after herself Roxanna.”

“She’s okay,” came his wife’s response. He doubted she was even listening to him and he shook his head again. Honestly, was it only the dog who listened to him these days? 

“Anyway," he breathed out of his nose, attempting to release the tension that had built up in his chest, "how was your day?” He rested his hand on Roxanna's shoulder and placed a kiss on the top of her head.  
  
"Not bad. You?" Her eyes did not leave the screen. "I haven't sorted out anything for dinner."  
  
"Right," Henrik replied as he walked over to the refrigerator to see what he could rustle up.  
  
"I've got to take Heidi to a party soon. When she's actually ready that is...," Roxanna said, now looking up at her husband as he moved around the kitchen selecting various cooking utensils.  
  
"What party?" Henrik asked, stalling in his tracks to look at her.  
  
"It’s a Halloween party, at Amelia's house. You _do_ know about it," Roxanna replied as she removed her spectacles and looked over at him in disbelief.  
  
"Do I?"  
  
"The invite has been on the notice board for about two weeks. I've spent the last week sorting out her costume."  
  
"Oh. Well who’s going to be there? What time does it go on until? She's got school tomorrow."  
  
"Yes, I'm well aware of that thank you,” came Roxanna’s brusque response. “It just a few chums from Heidi's class. Amelia's mother will be there."  
  
"No boys then?" Henrik asked reproachfully. Heidi attended an independent girl’s school.  
  
Roxanna rolled her eyes, "Henrik, stop worrying." She walked over to where he was stood, now chopping vegetables at the counter and wrapped her arms around his waist. She snuggled into his shirted back and pressed her lips to it, "It’s sweet though, that you worry about boys," she murmured into his back.  
  
"Of course I worry about boys. I worry about everything when it comes to Heidi." He put the knife down and turned into Roxanna's arms, bending his head slightly to kiss her. She readily relaxed into him and kissed him back. "Mmm, I like this," she whispered between kisses.  
  
"Me too," Henrik replied as his hands moved down to cup her buttocks which were enclosed in a tight pencil skirt, giving them a little squeeze as he did. They were in their early sixties now but still found one another irresistible. They were so engrossed in each other, they didn't notice their daughter appear in the doorway.   
  
"Ugh, can't you just leave each other alone? It’s disgusting." Heidi screwed up her eyes, a look of complete and utter disgust at her parent’s behaviour was written all over her face.  
  
Roxanna let out an embarrassed giggle and pulled herself away from Henrik’s grasp but continued to hold onto one of his hands. Henrik looked over at his daughter; she was tall like he was but she had inherited her mother's looks and colouring. Now though, the usually sleek shoulder length blonde hair resembled a bird’s nest and the ends were tinged pink. Her pale skin was hardly visible behind a mask of makeup on her face. A short black dress and tights completed the look.  
  
"I'm ready to go mum," Heidi instructed to her mother.  
  
"Is that what you're wearing?" Henrik was horrified at the way his little girl looked. He let go of Roxanna's hand and took a step forward to take a closer look at Heidi, "and what's on your face?"  
  
"Dad!" Heidi protested.  
  
"It’s a temporary tattoo, that’s all Henrik," Roxanna stepped in as the appeaser; it was a role she was stepping into quite alot recently. "It will wash off." She barged her way in front of Henrik and rested her hand on Heidi's shoulder, "you look amazing darling, doesn't she daddy?"  
  
"Yes," he said reluctantly. "Very scary indeed," he said drolly, trying to force a smile.

  
"Come on mum, let's go," she said looking at her father disdainfully. _God, why was he was so old and boring?_  
  
Roxanna let out a sigh, "okay then, let's go.” She grabbed the car keys from the worktop and led the way through to the hallway.  
  
As they pulled their coats on Henrik appeared in the doorway.  
  
"Heidi," Henrik beckoned his daughter to him with his finger.  
  
"What?" The teenager asked reluctantly as she shuffled her Doc Marten clad feet towards him. Henrik looked down into the big blue pools of her eyes, now encircled in thick black eyeliner, "have a good time. I love you." He pulled his daughter into his arms, her head level with his chest and kissed her on the top of her head.  
  
She accepted the affection but as soon as she could, she wriggled free; "Dad! Don’t smudge my face!" she complained. Then, as if it was an afterthought, an almost inaudible "love you," escaped from her mouth.  
  
Roxanna smiled at the scene, glad that Henrik had made a peace offering with their daughter. "I won’t be long."  
  
Henrik smiled back at her, "okay, dinner will be ready when you get back. Drive safely, the wind is starting to pick up out there."  
  
"I will. See you later." She followed Heidi out of the front door and down the steps to the car.  
  
"Bye." Henrik stood in the doorway and waved, watching the car until it had disappeared out of sight and he eventually closed the door. “Come on girl,” he said to Angel who was at his feet.   
  
When he returned to the kitchen he flicked the radio on and poured himself a glass of red wine. It was the one guilty pleasure he allowed himself; listening to _The Archers_ whilst cooking dinner with a glass in his hand. As he prepped the fish steaks the pips sounded to indicate the seven o'clock news bulletin. He listened whilst making an _en papillote_ parcel for the fish, meticulously folding sharp creases in the parchment paper and then sighed when his mobile phone started to ring. It was Sacha calling from the hospital.  
  
"Henrik, I need advice. It's a surgical matter...."  
  
As Henrik listened to his colleague he missed the third item on the news bulletin:

_"Police have confirmed reports that a patient has escaped from Fairfield Secure Hospital. No details have been released, as yet, on the identity of the patient or on when or how the escape took place. An official statement from the Police is expected within the next hour."_

****

  
"Give me a ring if you get fed up of them!" Roxanna joked to Amelia's mum as she watched Heidi disappear into the house.  
  
Amelia's mum laughed, "How I let myself get talked into this I'll never know! Bye Roxanna."  
  
"Bye," Roxanna smiled as the door closed and she turned and stepped out onto the pavement, turning her collar up against the wind and rain that had settled itself in for the night. As she walked to the car she thought about the dinner Henrik was preparing and was eager to get back to their warm home. She would have liked to have curled up on the sofa with a glass of wine but there was no chance of that; Heidi needed collecting again in a few hours and it went without saying that Henrik would already have a glass of wine on the go whilst cooking dinner so he wouldn’t be able to drive.   
  
She was within metres of the Volvo and clicked the button on the key fob in her pocket and watched as the sidelights flashed on the vehicle. Within seconds of seeing the orange lights though, she felt herself being grabbed from behind and dragged towards the floor.  
  
Survival instinct kicked in and she attempted to scream but before she could get a sound out, her breathe was taken away by what felt like a piece of cloth being forced over her mouth. She thrashed her arms about, fighting with all her might to escape from the strong arm that was holding her across her chest. Next though she felt a sharp prick in her left arm and her limbs instantly felt heavy and she struggled to hold the weight of her arms, then her legs buckled beneath her.   
  
Within seconds she had blacked out and had no idea that she was being picked up and bundled into the boot of a car.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henrik is becoming increasingly concerned about Roxanna's whereabouts and calls upon his friends Serena and Bernie to help him.

Henrik looked up at the clock on the wall and frowned, then took another sip of his wine. Roxanna been gone for over an hour and now the fish was overcooked. He picked up his phone and dialled his wife's mobile. 

_ "This person’s phone is switched off. Please try again later."  _

It wasn't like her, she’d usually call if she was going to be delayed. He felt a little uneasy about the situation. Had there been an accident? Why was her phone switched off? Was Heidi still with her? 

Heidi had a phone. She had badgered them for months about it and they had finally given in, consoling themselves with the argument that it was for safety reasons. He dialled his daughter's number. 

****

Heidi glanced down at her phone that was buzzing next to her on the arm of the sofa. She groaned internally,  _ Dad! What was he ringing for?  _

"Come on Heid, it's your turn," Harley Quinn shouted from across the room where she was on all fours on the  _ Twister _ mat, her limbs entwined with Elphaba’s from  _ Wicked!  _

"I'm coming," Heidi sighed, conveniently knocking her phone down the back of the cushions. 

***

Henrik shook his head in frustration as the phone clicked onto Heidi's voicemail. There was no point in leaving a message, her phone was probably tucked away in her coat pocket on a hanger somewhere. He wandered over to the noticeboard and fingered the invitation and dialled the number. 

"Hello. It's Henrik Hanssen, Heidi's father. I was just wondering if my wife was still with you?" 

_ "Oh hi. No, she's not I'm afraid. She dropped Heidi off and left straight away, that must have been over an hour ago now."  _

"Right. Okay." He thought as much. Apprehension was growing in the pit of his stomach. "Thank you. Er...what time does Heidi need collecting? Yes, okay, we'll be there. Thanks." 

He hung up and tried Roxanna's mobile again in the hope that perhaps she'd been in an area with no phone signal when he’d first called but the same message played out. He let out a deep sigh as he sat down and threw his phone on the kitchen table, realigning a knife and fork that was patiently waiting to be used. He attempted to reason with himself; she’d only been gone an hour, she was probably stuck in traffic or maybe she’d popped into _Waitrose_ to grab another bottle of wine and had got carried away; that wasn’t unheard of for Roxanna. But surely she would have called to let him know what she was doing? 

He got up and walked through to the sitting room and over to the window, optimistic that he would see her car pulling into the driveway. 

****

“I hope that’s the last of them,” Serena sighed as she returned to the sitting room, lifting Bernie’s legs up and plonking herself down on the sofa and allowing Bernie to rest her feet on her lap. “I don’t think we’ve ever had as many trick or treaters as we’ve had tonight. I’m not answering the door again. Besides we’ve nearly run out of sweets. ” 

Bernie smiled at her wife and grabbed her hand. “You are good you know. I wouldn’t have even bothered answering the door.”

Serena smiled back at her and shrugged her shoulders and tilted her head, “I must be mellowing in my old age.”

“I wouldn’t go that far Campbell. What were those sweets you were handing out anyway? Looked a bit dubious to me!” 

“Oh shut up, you,” Serena smiled as she began to tickle Bernie behind the knees, knowing very well that it was a weak spot. 

Bernie squirmed in her seat, “No Serena! Stop ...please,” she squealed as she attempted to push Serena’s hands away from her. Luckily for her the phone started to ring and they both stopped in their tracks. 

"Saved by the bell!" Bernie grinned.

  
“Oh who's that at this time of night,” Serena moaned. “Go on, you can get it, I’ve been up and down enough tonight.” 

Bernie pulled herself up off the sofa and sauntered over to the landline. "Hello?" 

Serena mouthed to her:  _ Who is it?  _

Bernie mouthed back:  _ Henrik.  _

Serena:  _ What does he want?  _

Bernie:  _ I don't know!  _

"No Henrik, she's not here. Right...I see," They shared quizzical glances and Bernie watched as Serena gulped down a mouthful of shiraz. "Well that's quite close to us Henrik. Serena and I will take a walk and have a look If you like ?" 

She watched as Serena vigorously shook her head and waved her arms in protest. She had no intention of going out again, especially on a night like tonight. 

"Of course we don't mind,” Bernie replied down the phone, taking absolutely no notice of her wife, “we'll go now and give you a call in a bit. You stay there in case she comes back. Speak soon. Bye" 

"What was that all about?" Serena frowned.

"Roxanna's gone walkabout. Come on Campbell, get your coat on, we’re going on a mission." 

"She's gone what? She hasn’t left him as she?" Serena caught the scarf and coat that came hurtling towards her. “Bernie?”

"I'll explain as we walk." 

****

Roxanna could feel herself being lifted up and into the open air. She was barely conscious, still unable to open her eyes or hold her own weight but she could sense motion. She felt a cold breeze on her cheeks and wetness that she assumed was rain. Her face rubbed up against something rough, fabric of a jacket perhaps; the smell was sour and stale. 

There was a rustle, like leaves then a thud, maybe a door being slammed and then silence. She thought she was inside somewhere; it smelt like damp bricks and soil. Then the sound of footsteps as she felt herself being carried. She wanted to scream and shout and fight but she physically couldn’t move. She thought of her daughter and her husband; she felt wetness on her face again but this time she knew it was tears. 

****

“Are you sure it’s this street?” 

“Yes, I'm sure.” Bernie reached down and took hold of Serena’s gloved hand. 

“Don’t you think he’s overreacting a bit. She’s only been gone an hour hasn’t she?”

“Mmm, maybe. But Henrik wouldn’t have called us if he didn’t have a good reason.”

“You don’t think she  _ has _ done a  _ Shirley Valentine _ on him do you? I can imagine he can be difficult to live with but…..I don’t think Henrik could cope without Roxanna.” 

  
“Serena, I honestly don’t think Roxanna has left Henrik. She’s probably just got weigh laid, broken down maybe. What car is it?”

“It's a Volvo, a four by four. Black.” 

“Like that one across the road?” Bernie pointed. 

  
“Yes, exactly like that one,” they veered across the road towards the car. 

“Is this it?” Bernie asked as she peered through the windows. 

Serena nodded, “think so.” 

“Right,” Bernie took hold of the driver side door handle and gave it a tug. Click. “Its unlocked,” she said as she looked over at her wife. 

****

Henrik scraped the fish and vegetables into the bin, first Roxanna’s plate and then his own. He’d attempted to eat but just ended up picking at it. She’d been gone over two hours now, with no word. 

He’d called her mobile again to no avail and found himself pacing around the house, gravitating into Roxanna’s study and leafing through the papers on her desk. He sat himself down at the desk and opened the top drawer and lifted out several lose photographs that were hiding towards the back. He smiled to himself as he flicked through them; some of Heidi when she was a baby, one of the three of them that he remembered had been in a photo frame in their bedroom for a while. The next one was an older photo of Roxanna when she was younger with David; Roxanna beaming into the camera and David kissing her cheek. She looked happy, really happy. Henrik pursed his lips. 

He'd always known that he wasn't good enough for Roxanna Macmillan. He'd known it from the first time he had set eyes on her, way back in 1987, at exactly the same time he knew he would love her for the rest of his life. When they'd eventually acknowledged their feelings for each other fifteen years ago, he'd physically pinched himself on a daily basis, just to check that it was actually real. Now though they'd been married for fourteen years, they had a daughter together, a dog, a home, their work, her research; it had become run-of-the mill. Maybe he had become complacent? Perhaps he'd started to take her for granted, had not shown her the love and affection she deserved? He brushed his finger across the image of her face; did he bring her as much happiness as David had brought her? He doubted it. 

Later on he wandered back down the stairs and started to clear away the dishes. He was filling the dishwasher, one hand on the dog’s collar trying to hold her back from licking the dirty dishes when the doorbell rang. He closed the dishwasher door and quickened his pace down the hall, Angel barking behind him. He had a vision of opening the door to a wet and soggy Roxanna, livid because the car had broken down and her mobile had run out of battery. It would be all his fault of course, but he didn't care. 

When the door swung open though it wasn't it her, it was a man, flanked by a woman on his left dressed in a police officer’s uniform. The man held up his warrant card, "Mr Hanssen? Mr Henrik Hanssen?" 

"Yes?" Came a strained reply. He bent down to calm Angel, "shush girl," he said as he grabbed her collar to stop her from running outside. 

"I'm Detective Inspector Gray and this is Constable Evans from Avon & Somerset Constabulary. Is your wife here? Roxanna Macmillan? Can we come in?" 

Henrik stood up to full height, "My wife, she's er….she's…." He was confused; why were they asking if she was at home when the problem was that she wasn't at home. 

"Perhaps we could come in?" The detective urged as he gestured to the rain, "it is very important, sir," 

"Yes, yes off course," Henrik stuttered as he gestured for them to come inside. 

****

Roxanna felt herself being thrown down onto something soft, a mattress maybe and she could hear and feel the creak of springs below her as her weight hit it. Then feet scuffed across a floor, a hard floor and the sound of metal against metal, then a thud as if they had thrown themselves onto something, another bed or a chair. She tried to open her eyes but they felt so heavy, like they were being pulled back down over her eyeballs. She strained her muscles as much as she could and she managed to open them slightly, hearing her own lashes fluttering. It was dark but she could see an isolated flicker of light though the corner of her eye, a lamp maybe. She tried to move her head towards the direction of it but there was no movement there. She'd felt like this before, when she'd been locked in after the accident and then she knew. She knew what was happening to her and she knew who was doing it. There was movement close to her and she felt something brush against her cheek and warm breath on her face. Then the voice: 

"How you doing Rox?" 

****

Henrik stood at the sink staring out of the window into the dark depths of the garden, his hands tightly gripping the worktop. All he could see was red. 

The detective and constable hovered in the background waiting for a reaction to what had just been explained to him. 

Then all three of them were startled by the sound of Henrik's mobile vibrating on the kitchen table. In an instant Henrik had it at his ear, it was Serena. 

"Henrik, we've found Roxanna's car, it's unlocked….."

"Its him," Henrik growled down the phone through gritted teeth, "its him, its John…." Henrik glared at the detective, eager to find someone to blame, and as usual the messenger was going to get the full force of it. 

"Henrik, I don't understand?" Serena replied as she stared at Bernie, both of them still stood on the cold, wet street next to Roxanna’s car. "John? John Gaskell?" 

"He’s escaped from the secure hospital, they think he’s come to Holby to find Roxanna. He's got her Serena, I know he has!" His voice was raised and Serena could hear it breaking. 

Serena gulped, "Henrik, listen, is someone with you?" She asked warily. 

"The police are here. I need to collect Heidi….” he stuttered.

“Henrik, Bernie and I will collect Heidi. Give me the address and call ahead to tell them what's happening.”

“Bring her straight back to me Serena.” 

"I will Henrik, I promise you, I will." 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Police provide Henrik with more details about John's escape. Serena and Bernie offer help and support to their friend in his hour of need.

“What do you mean he escaped two days ago? Why weren’t we told about this sooner?” 

“We were only informed about it tonight sir,” DI Gray explained sheepishly. “It appears there was some delay from the hospital in reporting the matter to the local police. Professor Gaskell is said to have had certain privileges at the hospital……”

“Privileges! What what do you mean he was given certain privileges?” Angel flinched in her basket, not used to hearing her master’s raised voice. Henrik could feel the veins in his neck pulsating, his face red with rage. 

Gray cleared his throat, fully aware he was the first one in the firing line, “from what I can understand, the Professor had access to areas of the hospital that other patients did not have, so to begin with his disappearance wasn’t noticed. When the local police were finally informed the focus of the search was on the immediate vicinity of the hospital.” He paused unsure of how the next piece of information would be greeted. “The Professor was later seen on CCTV at a service station on the M42 heading west in a stolen car. He seems to have changed vehicles on a number of occasions.”

“So your telling me he could have been in Holby for almost two days!” Henrik was pacing up and down the kitchen now. Angel got up and wandered out into the hallway. 

“It is a ... possibility sir.” Gray glanced over at his colleague. He’d only been promoted a few months ago, now he was wondering if he’d made the right choice. “We have officers heading over to where your wife was last seen as we speak. Patrol cars are based at all major roads exiting the county.” As if it would give any comfort. “Is there anything you can tell us about the Professor that might indicate where he may have headed too?” 

“I don’t know…..” Henrik shook his head vigorously, “...and stop calling him Professor! He was struck off and stripped of his qualifications!”

The constable spoke up this time, “If there is anything you can think of at all it would be a great help to us sir…...”

Henrik looked up at them both, his heart thumping in his chest, he knew he needed to calm down, shooting the messenger wasn’t going to bring his wife back. He breathed out through his nostrils, trying to calm himself; “John Gaskell is a damaged individual who has spent his whole life deceiving people. From the day he was born he had to lie to survive, he knows what he is doing. He will have a plan. He's probably been planning this since the day he left Holby.” He thought for a moment, “his apartment was sold so that’s not an option. The hospital though, I think that's where he'll head. I’ll contact security,” he said reaching in his pocket for his phone.

Gray glanced over at Evans, “Don’t worry sir, we will do it.” The constable mumbled something into the radio attached to her uniform. 

The front door slammed. “I’ll just…..” Henrik stuttered as he headed through to the hallway, leaving the police behind in the kitchen. 

"Daddy ...?" Heidi ran straight into her father’s arms, confusion and fear written all over her face. "What's going on? Why are the police here?" She asked as she glanced through the kitchen door, the uniformed officer just visible. "Where's mummy? Auntie Serena said she didn’t come home?" All of the teenage attitude of earlier had gone, she sounded like she was four years old again. 

Henrik wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly to his chest. He looked over at Serena and Bernie, at a loss as to what he should tell his child. Serena’s mouth gaped open, but any words were blocked by the lump that was forming in her throat. Bernie silently mouthed “_ we haven't mentioned John”. _Henrik nodded and lowered his head so that he could press a kiss to Heidi's head. 

“Mummy hasn’t come back yet, so we’ve asked the police to give us a hand to look for her. I'm sure she’ll be back soon though…..so there’s no need to worry, okay?”

"But dad…" She looked up at him with her big blue eyes; it was like looking at Roxanna. He gulped away the emotion rising in his own throat, "Right...it's late and you’ve got to go to school in the morning, so you need to go upstairs and get ready for bed," he loosened his grip on her. 

“But where is she is…..?” Heidi pleaded.

Serena stepped forward and touched Heidi's shoulder,"come on sweetheart, I'll take you up." 

Heidi's dropped her chin to her chest, accepting her fate and allowed Serena to guide her up the stairs. Bernie sharing a concerned smile with Serena as they passed each other. 

"I'll come up and say goodnight in a few minutes," Henrik said as his daughter disappeared up the stairs. 

*****

Twenty minutes later Serena joined Bernie and Henrik in the kitchen. Henrik was sat at the table staring at the surface in front of him, Bernie was leaning against the counter looking on. The police had gone but had left two officers outside in a police car for precautionary measures. 

Serena looked over at Henrik; he looked haunted. She'd seen him like that in the past, after Fredrik and then again after John had tried to kill Roxanna the first time round. She had hoped that she would never see him like this again, but now, here they were. 

"Heidi is asking for you Henrik," she said gently, as she patted her friend on the shoulder. 

He looked up at her, his eyes not dissimilar to those of a lost and lonely boy, "okay, thanks. I'll go up," he said as he stood. 

When he had gone Serena stood in front of Bernie and rested her forehead against her wife’s. Bernie wrapped her arms around Serena’s waist and pulled her in close. 

"How's he holding up?"

Bernie let out a sigh, "he hasn't said much. I think he’s in shock." 

"Bound to be. I’m in shock.” Serena agreed. “Who’d have thought that John Gaskell would be back in Holby." 

“You really think he has Roxanna?” Bernie frowned. 

“Well don’t you?” 

  
“I didn’t really know him, I didn’t meet him.” 

Serena raised her eyebrows and sighed, “Well, take my word for it, John Gaskell is psychopath who won’t stop at anything to get his own way. He's already attempted to kill Roxanna and failed. But this time ...," she shivered and Bernie instinctively held her tighter, "I can't bear to think about it."

The kitchen door opened and Henrik walked in. Bernie loosened her grasp on Serena and they drifted apart from each other, Bernie over to the kettle and flicking it on. 

"How is she Henrik?" Serena asked. 

Henrik looked at the floor, "she wants her mother," he replied solemnly, pursing his lips and holding onto the back of a chair.

"Hmm," Serena didn't have any other reply and the three of them stood in silence until the kettle boiled. 

"I'm making coffee. Henrik, Serena?" 

"Thank you darling," 

"Henrik?" 

He looked up and shook his head, "I'm sorry but I can't sit here drinking coffee, I need to be out there looking for her." He frantically dashed around the kitchen picking up his wallet, phone and car keys, "I need to find her before he……” He couldn't bring himself to say what he was thinking. 

Serena looked at Bernie, then stepped towards the table where the almost empty bottle of red stood, "er.. Henrik, I don’t think that's such a good idea, do you?" She said lifting the bottle and giving it a shake to prove her point. 

Henrik eyed the bottle and sighed heavily, throwing the keys on the table and desperately rubbing his temples, "I can't just sit here Serena!" He snapped, “They could be out of the county by now ...it might be too late….”

"I'll drive you Henrik," Bernie said, putting the kettle down and looking to Serena for approval. Serena's eyes widened at the suggestion but reluctantly nodded her agreement. 

"I'll stay here with Heidi, Henrik." Serena conceded. 

"Thank you," he said as he attempted to compose himself. “Right…,” he started for the hallway. 

Bernie abandoned the coffee-making and made to follow him but Serena grabbed her hand and pulled her back, eyeing her intently "Bernie, promise me you'll be safe?” she whispered, “you're not in the army anymore okay, so no need for any heroics.” She fingered the lapel on Bernie’s coat, “and don't let _ him _do anything reckless either!" She said pointing in the direction of the hallway. 

Bernie smirked, her wife knew her too well, "Serena….we're just going for a little drive around okay?"

"Hmm," she wasn't convinced but accepted the kiss from her wife."I love you." 

"I love you too, Serena Wendy Campbell.” 

****

Bernie clicked her seat belt into place and looked over at the vacant expression on her companions face, “So...where to Henrik?” 

He let out a sigh and looked at her, “ I really don’t know Bernie.” There was a quiver in his voice and she reached across and squeezed his hand. 

“Okay ...well, let's start with the hospital shall we?” 

“Mmm,” he agreed, “Lets go to the hospital.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roxanna wakes up to discover her fate and John takes great delight in telling her a few of his "truths".

Roxanna woke with a start, panting and breathless. She’d been dreaming; David was shouting her name, telling her to get away from the edge of a cliff but she had slipped, it was too late and she was falling down the cliff face, the wind rushing through her hair. 

Then it hit her; she wasn’t falling at all, she wasn’t on the edge of a cliff and David wasn’t calling her name. David was dead and she was lying on a dirty old mattress in a concrete bunker...with John. 

In a state of panic she heaved herself up but found that both her wrists had been chained to the metal frame of the bed. John appeared from out of the shadows and stood over her. 

“John….” it came out shaky and she knew he could hear the fear in her voice. 

“Rox ...You don’t seem pleased to see me?” He was smirking,his blue eyes glistening with delight in the candlelight. “I’ve been thinking about this meeting for so long you know, I'm disappointed you’re not as pleased about it as I am." 

She let out an ear piercing scream, her limbs frenzied as the chain clattered against the metal of the bed, a defiant look in her eyes as she stared at him. It was relentless, her lungs and vocal chords were at full capacity, it hurt her throat but she wasn't going to stop. John watched her, curious as to when she was going to run out of steam but she wasn't giving in; she had always been the stubborn one. 

The smirk disappeared from his face, he was losing patience with her. He raised his voice. “come on Rox, don’t be like this. It’s me. I thought there might be a little bit of enthusiasm to see your old friend again?” 

“Friend!” that word stopped her in her tracks. “You tried to kill me!”

He curled his lip at her now, she was really starting to annoy him. “Yeah, I did, but you couldn’t even do that right could you? You stupid cow.” He spun on his heels and walked away from her, barely able to look at the woman who had ruined his life the moment she had stepped foot into it. 

“Help! Help! Someone please!” Help me….!!" 

In a flash, he was stood over her again, his hand held forcefully over her mouth. “Oh no you don’t,” he shouted into her face as she continued to thrash around under his hold, “there’s no escaping from it this time, you bitch. No one's gonna come running to rescue you.  _ He’s _ not going to rescue you this time."

She couldn’t breathe. He eyed her with delight, the smirk returning as he watched her struggle beneath him gasping for air, her eyes widening and her face reddening. “Don’t struggle Rox, your only going to make it worse for yourself,” he declared triumphantly, his hand tightening on her mouth. 

The advice fell on deaf ears, her eyes not leaving his for a second. “Mmm,mmm,mmm," came a muffled sound from behind the palm of his hand. It was hard to tell if it was defiance or gasps for breath. Whatever it was, it was pissing him off. 

“Okay ...well, if your going to be like that, I’m going to have to sedate you again,” he stood up and let go of her, leaving her panting and choking for air. He returned moments later with a syringe. 

“No ...no John, please, don’t!” She panted. She couldn’t bear to lose control again. If she was going to survive this she needed to be conscious. “I promise I'll keep quiet, I won’t scream again, I promise you, please don’t do that…” 

He pursed his lips and watched her as he thought for a moment, “hmm,” he considered. “Well it would be nice to chat after all these years ...BUT….,” he grabbed a handful of her greying hair in his fist causing her to flinch, “….if I hear a sound from you, then I’ll do it Rox, you know I will and this time, you won’t be waking up from it, you understand?” 

Roxanna gulped and nodded, “I understand John. I do.” 

“Okay,” he nodded, nonchalantly throwing the syringe back into the metal kidney dish and throwing himself into a dirty armchair. “You’ve aged,” he said casually. “You’ve put on weight as well, I struggled to lift you. You used to take care of yourself Rox, what happened? You are a bit of a disappointment to be honest.” 

Roxanna muttered something under her breath and looked away from him; he was right, she had put on weight. After having Heidi she'd struggled to get back to her pre-baby weight and as the years went by it became harder and harder to lose it. It didn't help that John looked younger and fitter than ever; he probably went to the gym every day, she couldn't imagine what else there would be for him to do in the hospital. David always used to say that John was like  _ Peter Pan _ , and looking at him now Roxanna could see why. 

“I noticed Henrik is almost grey now too, it must be what married life does to you,”

She turned her head to look at him and snapped vehemently, “Henrik? What do you know of Henrik?” 

“I saw him yesterday, at the hospital." He said it so casually as if it should be obvious to her that he had seen Henrik there. "I watched him doing his stuff, strutting round the place, the esteemed leader caring for his flock. He looked tired though and he looked bored. Do you bore him Rox?"

“Oh please." 

"I bet you bore him in bed. In fact, I know that you will bore him in bed. How is your sex life these day Rox? Has Henrik told you what he really likes?" 

"How dare you! What right do you have come here and ruin our lives….again!”

“Right? What right do I have?” he scoffed. “You should have thought of that the minute you started meddling.” 

“Meddling?” She was trying to sit herself up, “I wasn’t meddling, I was  _ trying  _ to save you, save others from you!”

He laughed at her, "you really don't get it, do you? That's always been your problem Rox, you think you are the centre of the universe and that everything revolves around you." 

"That's not true….." 

"It is Rox. You've always been like it. You were like it with David. You suffocated the poor guy, tried to mould him into exactly what you wanted him to be. Didn’t let him have his own ideas, didn’t let him fulfil his own dreams.” 

Roxanna shook her head. John had lost it, he was talking nonsense. She knew it hadn’t been like that with David, if anything it had been the other way round; she had given up so much of her dreams so that David could follow his. 

“It’s no wonder David was always talking about leaving you.” 

“John, you really don’t know what you are talking about…..” she shook her head at him. David would never have left her, that was completely untrue. What she and David had….. it was special.

"Why do you think he was always going to conferences? To get away from  _ you _ !” He jabbed his finger at her, “to give him the opportunity to be  _ himself _ . The number of times he would call me just to tell me just how much he was  _ so sick  _ of you! Of your own sense of self importance.”

“John, just shut up, you don't know anything about our relationship."

  
“What, you can’t handle the truth?” He stood up and walked over to the bedside, “Well, tough Roxanna, tough on you, because I’m in control now and if I think you need to know the truth then that’s what’s gonna happen,”

“Truth?” It was her time to scoff at his words, “you don’t know the meaning of the word! You’re a liar and a cheat! I don’t know why I let you get away with it for all those years, I should have exposed you at Rigden when you stole my research, because I know you did that John,  _ I know you did _ !”

For a second she thought she saw a flash of recognition in his eyes and then it was gone, replaced with a broad grin spreading across his face, “and there you go again Rox, it’s always about  _ you _ isn’t it? Deluding yourself that you are worthy of producing something that people would  _ want _ to steal, it’s pathetic.” He turned and started to walk back towards his chair, then changed his mind and spun on his heels and came back to her side. “I’ll tell you something Rox, shall I, about the truth? David knew all along about you and Henrik. He knew you had feelings for Henrik. Even on your wedding day David told me you were marrying the wrong person and that you would never fully belong to him; David knew he was second choice.”

“Don’t be ridiculous…..that’s not true,” she looked away from him now, she couldn’t bear to listen to this any longer. 

“Oh it is Rox, it is true and you know it is! David only went through with the wedding because I told him he was being absurd. I lied, of course, but David had to marry you! Someone had to have you because i wasn’t going to stand back and watch you and Henrik run off into the sunset.” 

She closed her eyes as tears started to prick them. There was truth in what John was saying; Henrik _had_ been her first love, _the one _that she couldn’t quite let go off. She felt a stab of pain in the pit of her stomach at the thought of her beloved David carrying that truth around with him for their whole marriage. 

“He wanted kids you know.  _ David wanted kids  _ but you just wouldn't allow it would you?”

She looked at him again now, “David didn’t want children,” on that point she was certain. Neither of them had wanted children, they had agreed that at the beginning of their relationship and neither had wavered from it in their whole time of being together. 

“You sure about that? Cos he’d spend many a night at my place crying into his glass of rum over it,” 

She  _ was _ sure about it but John had a great knack at making her doubt herself. “I’m not listening to you anymore John. What went on between David and I was private and you really don’t know anything about it.”

“Don’t I? Hmm, well if that’s what you want to believe. I see you managed to push out a kid for Henrik but not David, hey? So what’s that all about?” 

She snapped her head to look at him and gulped away the bile rising in her throat. So he knew about Heidi. It had been her worst fear that John would know about her daughter. She pursed her lips together, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of confirmation. 

“She’s actually really rather pretty…..surprisingly….. considering she came from you,” 

She felt sick. John had seen Heidi? Where and when? 

He could read her thoughts. “Oh I’ve seen her Rox, I’ve seen quite a lot of her. Nice choice of school by the way. Henrik’s choice probably? He’s always been a snob when it comes to education.” 

“You stay away from her,” she shouted at him, no longer able to contain her anger. 

John smiled at her triumphantly and shrugged his shoulders. “I’ll do whatever I like Rox and in your current state there is very little you can do about it.” 

She attempted to sit up again and pulled at the restraints on her wrists in a vain attempt to set herself free. 

He watched in amusement at her pathetic efforts, “save your energy Rox. Honestly, you’re not going anywhere. Besides, we’ve still got so much to talk about. So many truths to be told, so many lies to be ironed out.” 

“You let me go, you mad man, you bastard!” She bit back the tears. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of showing any weakness but with thoughts of her daughter she couldn’t help it. 

He laughed at her, a full on belly laugh, “I’m enjoying this Rox,  _ so _ much more than I ever thought I would.” 

“I hate you John, I hate you!” She screamed as tears streamed down her face. 

“But we’re only just getting started,” he said, smiling at her and settling himself back down into the armchair. “We haven’t even spoken about Henrik yet…..”

“Henrik,” she gulped, “he hates you as much as I hate you,” 

His laughing continued, “oh God, you really are deluded, aren't you Rox? You’re so self absorbed, so wrapped up in yourself that you can’t even see what’s under your own nose. Henrik doesn’t hate me…... he loves me.”

“He hates you John. In fact, he despises you.” 

“Oh,” he said all too calmly, the grin still adorning his face, “well, if that’s the case, why has been visiting me every month for the last 14 years then?” He looked like the cat that had got the cream. 

“No,” Roxanna shook her head vehemently, “no, your lying. Henrik wouldn’t do that,” 

“Oh he would Roxanna and he has been, I can prove it.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jac and Fletch join the search for Roxanna. Henrik is shocked to find that he may have had more contact with John Gaskell than he realised and Bernie delivers some worrying news.

“We’ve got the hospital on lock-down and security at every entrance and exit,” It was Adrian ‘Fletch’ Fletcher, Director of Nursing, he was short of breath as he ran to keep up with Jac Naylor who was striding ahead in front of him down a hospital corridor, a torch in her hand. 

Jac had been shadowing Henrik for the last couple of months, unofficially taking on the role as Deputy CEO of Holby City Hospital ready to step into Henrik’s shoes as soon as he announced his retirement, not that he was showing any indication that this was going to be any time soon, much to her dismay. Now though, was her chance to prove herself. 

“Are you sure we should be doing this?” Fletch asked as Jac hit the elevator button. The doors opened and he followed her in and watched her press the button for the basement.

“Are you scared?” she asked, with amusement. 

“No!….I mean shouldn’t we have security with us or the police?”

“Gaskell doesn’t scare me,” she replied, her eyes focused on the doors in front of her. 

“Well, maybe he should Jac, he’s clinically insane! He’s already tried to murder Roxanna once, God knows what he might do to her! We know what he’s capable of.” 

“Mmm,” Jac conceded. “Well, I doubt he’s hiding her in the basement of the hospital.” When the doors opened they stepped out of the elevator and started to explore the corridors, Jac flashing her torch into darkness. “Come on, let’s just get this done and get out of here. It gives me the creeps down here.” 

“What are we actually looking for anyway?” 

“Anything. Any indicator that Gaskell has been here….Bernie said the police think he may have been in Holby a couple of days. I’m glad Emma’s still in Oxford.”

“Yeah, Theo said he might drive up to see her,” 

“Oh?” said Jac, giving a disapproving frown. She didn’t like the idea of Fletch’s delinquent son sniffing around her precious daughter. 

“They’re just friends,” Fletch protested. 

“Well I hope so! Emma’s got exams coming up, she needs to focus on her studies.”

“Listen Jac, maybe I should come home with you tonight. Just for safety precautions…..”

She marched on ahead of him, “I’m not sure Ange would approve of that, do you!?” she scoffed. 

“Yeah, well…..about that…..I’m sleeping in the spare room at the minute,”

Jac halted her stride and rolled her eyes before turning round to look at him, “messed it up already have you?” she asked as she shone the torch into his face, “how long have you been married? Surely you haven’t reached the seven year itch already?”

“Five years actually,” he said a little disgruntled that Jac had was right.

“So? What’s happened, have you bored her already?”

Fletch looked away from her, “I found a text on her phone, from someone called Mike. She says it’s an old friend but she’s never mentioned him to me before!”

“So you’ve jumped to conclusions, put two and two together and come up with five! Well, I don’t blame Ange. What the hell was you looking at her phone for in the first place?”

“Well, I…..”

Jac held up her hand, “actually, i’m not interested,” she spun around on her heels, “come on, lets get on with the job in hand,” she said as she marched off ahead of him once again. 

As they reached the chamber of now abandoned rooms at the far end of the basement where Gaskell had set up his now infamous lab, Jac came to a halt, Fletch almost running into the back of her. 

“Listen, can you hear that?” she whispered

“What?” 

“Voices...I can hear voices, someone else is down here.” She flashed her torch at the door. The rooms had stood empty since the day Gaskell was arrested. Apart from the police, very few people had ventured in there and no one was interested in re-purposing the rooms. Gaskell had tainted them with evil and they had become part of the hospital’s folklore; tales of the mad professor in the basement were commonplace amongst each intake of junior doctors and the stories became more and more twisted as the years went by. 

“You don’t think it’s him?” Fletch asked, still hanging back behind Jac. 

“There’s only one way to find out,” Jac said, taking a deep breath and kicking the door open with her right foot. As the door swung open they were dazzled by two bright lights being shone into their faces. “What the….” Jac exclaimed as she held her arm up to shield her eyes and then she heard her name being spoken by a familiar voice. 

“Jac!”

As her eyes adjusted to the light, she looked up to find Henrik looming over her. 

“Oh Henrik,” she said breathlessly, her hand clutched to her chest, her heart beating against it like a cymbal being struck ten to the dozen, “It’s you!”

“Sorry,” he said lowering the torch, “We didn’t mean to alarm you,”

Jac glanced beyond him to see Bernie hovering in the background. 

“We came in the back entrance, I didn’t want to have to fight my way through security. We came straight to the lab, I thought it was the place he might return to first but obviously….,” Henrik explained solemnly, gesturing to the emptiness of the lab. 

“Henrik, mate…..”Fletch said, stepping into the room and giving Henrik’s arm a gentle pat, “Don’t you worry okay, we’re gonna find her. Roxanna’s strong…..”

Bernie stepped forward, this was no time for small talk, “so Jac, what’s the situation at the hospital. Is the building locked down? Have all the wards been alerted.”

“Yes, yes,” Jac said exasperated by being told how to do her job by a now semi retired surgeon. Bernie might well have been an army major but she had no experience of running a hospital of this size and she certainly had no right telling Jac how to do her job. “I’ve spoken with the police, we've got security on all the entrances, all wards are on lock-down, I’ve got each department undertaking an audit of all stock and drugs cabinets and security are going through CCTV as we speak. Oh and the board have been briefed.” 

“Sounds like it’s all in hand,” Bernie conceded.

“Yes...it is actua…” she was interrupted by her phone ringing in her pocket. She brushed past Fletch and into the corridor to answer the call. 

“Hello…..” There was a pause as she listened, “Are you serious?” She said, raising her voice, “I don’t believe this……and you’re only just telling me this now! Well you better bloody well grab one of those police officers from outside and tell them! I'm on my way down!” She shouted before hanging up. 

“Jac?” said Henrik expectantly, “what is it?” 

Jac looked back at him hesitantly, “It was Connie. Yesterday morning in A & E, there was a man hanging about in the waiting area, he said he was waiting for a relative but the staff thought he was behaving suspiciously.. They thought he may have been homeless, just looking for somewhere to keep warm…..” 

“Yes, I remember,” said Henrik, his eyes narrowing in thought, “I was down in A & E yesterday morning in a meeting with Connie. I went into the reception….a woman had collapsed and I assisted…...I remember the receptionist saying something about a man but I didn’t take any notice, I was too busy…..” 

“One of the A & E nurses had their pass taken around the same time. There’s drugs and equipment missing from the storeroom…..”

Henrik clenched his fists, his mind racing back to yesterday morning. “I need to see the CCTV.” With that he was racing down the corridor towards the lift, his three companions in tow. 

****

It was all there in black and white in front of him. Henrik stood over the collapsed patient looking on as his colleagues lifted her onto a trolley. It was as he stepped back to allow the trolley past that it happened. He must have missed it in all the commotion but it was unmistakable now on the screen in front of him; a dishevelled looking John Gaskell, dressed in an over size army surplus jacket, his hair longer, not dissimilar to how he used to wear it at university. As Henrik stood back John had brushed past him, his shoulder rubbing against Henrik's back, and then, and this was the worst of it, John had had the audacity to place his hand on Henrik's left arm and mutter something that looked like a "sorry". Absorbed in the commotion around the patient Henrik had not noticed this at the time, let alone acknowledged or looked at the man but it was clear from the footage that John knew exactly what he was doing.

"Rewind it," Henrik demanded. 

"Again? The security guard mumbled under his breath, he'd lost count of the number of times he'd played it through. 

“Just do it!” grumbled Jac who was perching on the desk next to the security guard. 

Henrik was so engrossed in the footage that he failed to notice that Bernie had slipped out of the room to answer a call. She returned moments later, and flashed Jac a grave look causing her to take a deep intake of breath. 

"Henrik...Serena just called." Bernie said cautiously. 

"Yes?" Henrik looked up expectantly.

"It's Angel," she stuttered, the family's beloved Portuguese Water dog, "…she's not well. Serena's called the vet….they think she may have been poisoned…" 


End file.
